This invention relates to a right-angle connector.
This type of connector comprises a contact which is bent so as to have a contact portion and a connection portion intersecting each other. For example, this type of connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,946,893 (Patent Document 1) and JP-B 2544977 (Patent Document 2), contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
As shown in FIG. 17, the Universal Serial Bus (USB) receptacle (connector) 1000 disclosed in Patent Document 1 comprises a receptacle housing (housing) 1100, a spacer (positioner) 1200 and a plurality of receptacle contacts (contacts) 1300. Each of the contacts 1300 is bent so as to have a contact portion 1310 and a tail portion (terminal portion) 1320 perpendicular to each other. The contact portions 1310 are held by the housing 1100. The terminal portions 1320 are positioned by the positioner 1200.
As shown in FIG. 18, the connector 2000 disclosed in Patent Document 2 comprises a housing 2100, an adjustment member (positioner) 2200 and a plurality of terminals (contacts) 2300. Each of the contacts 2300 is bent so as to have a terminal end (contact portion) 2310 and a glued resilient-portion (terminal portion) 2320 gently intersecting each other. The contacts 2300 are held and positioned by the positioner 2200. Each of the housing 2100 and the positioner. 2200 is configured to be fixed to a circuit board.
When the connector of each of Patent Documents 1 and 2 is assembled, it is necessary to insert the terminal portions of the contacts into respective holes formed in the positioner. Especially, when the contacts are arranged in multiple rows like the connector of Patent Document 1, it is difficult to simultaneously bend all of the inserted contacts. Accordingly, each of the contacts should be bent before the terminal portion is inserted in the hole of the positioner. However, when each of the contacts is bent as described above, positions of ends of terminal portions tend to vary from one another. Accordingly, it is not easy to simultaneously insert the terminal portions of the contacts, which are arranged in multiple rows, into the positioner. The terminal portions of the contacts of the connector of Patent Document 2 are arranged in a single row. Accordingly, unlike the connector of Patent Document 1, it is possible to simultaneously bend all of the contacts inserted in the positioner. In other words, the terminal portions are relatively easily inserted into the positioner. However, it is necessary to attach the positioner to the circuit board separately from the housing in order to assemble the connector. As can be seen from the above description, it is time-consuming to assemble the connector of each of Patent Documents 1 and 2.